The Kiss
by Dyassie
Summary: She only promised a kiss to someone.  How was she to know?


The Kiss

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the right to the Labyrinth or its characters.

Just a short story that is unrelated to any of my other stories that popped in my head as an interesting idea while watching 'First Knight' this morning. Yes, in this one, Jareth is more ruthless and cunning like in another story I am working on. Hope you enjoy!

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><p>Approaching the archway, the sounds and smells she could already experience excited her as they promise to transport her to a different world, one right out of her fantasy novels. The smell of roasting chickens on a split and baking bread wafted through the air along with the sounds of lute music intermingling with people's voices.<p>

The trumpets blasted out to some unknown event as she passed underneath the arch alerting. Coming out she was approached by a young gentleman with white-blond hair.

"My name be Justin my lady and me dost have the fine pleasure of letting thou knowest of being the lucky lady whose grand timing through our humble archway has made the lady our princess of the medieval games for this good morrow and masquerade ball this e'en if thou wilt. What say you my lady? Will thou be our princess?"

Sarah was surprised by this; she knew that often a man or woman coming in was often chosen to preside over the games but to actually be the one chosen was still unexpected.

"I shalt," Sarah replied in the medieval fashion thrilled that she had chosen to visit this while traveling.

"If thou wilt follow me then, thou wilt be given the proper attire," Justin told her as he gestured to where they were heading over towards the arena where they held the recreation of the medieval games.

Justin took her to a dressing room giving her a medieval princess dress of burgundy and gold to replace her simple blue and white maiden costume. In the dressing room, Sarah slipped on the dress. It fitted close to her waist as she drew the gold strings in front a little tighter drawing the two side pieces of fabric closer together in front of the underlying burgundy piece. After being tied the gold strings fell down a ways over the dress matching the gold trimmed bordering side pieces, the neckline, the sleeves, and the bottom of the dress. To complete the dress, the outer piece of fabric was elaborately decorated with gold and slighter darker red flowers and pieces of golden lace at the ends of the sleeves.

As she stepped out she became aware of Justin taking an inhale of breath.

"Ye tis most beauteous," Justin complimented her with grace. He then escorted her to a woman who did Sarah's hair pulling it back curling the tendrils into spirals adding a pearl headpiece to lie across the top of Sarah's forehead. In addition, Sarah was given additional costume jewelry of a pair of earrings and a necklace that held a medieval appearance.

By the time they were finished with her, Sarah really felt like a pampered princess excited to watch the games and anticipating the ball that night.

Justin escorted her to the area she would be sitting waiting with her until the crowds filled the stands explaining that the main event would be the jousting, which would be the last event.

Once the stands were full and it was time to begin, Justin stood up announcing that the games would begin soon and introducing Sarah as the person who had claimed the right to serve as the princess for the day.

Soon the games were underway. Then it was time for the joust, the most important event.

The men, whom Sarah had discovered were actual contestants competing and not just actors like at similar fairs, walked out onto the field already in their armor to be introduced to the crowd. The crowd cheered with delight.

Once the men were introduced, Justin stood making apologies that the trophy for the event had been damaged by a miscreant shortly before and assuring that a prize would be forthcoming in the future.

At this the last man that had been introduced stepped forward. "Methinks the others wilt agree with me. In true medieval fashion, I beseech our prize to be a kiss from the princess."

Seeing the charming young lady playing the princess the others quickly inserted their opinion with calls of "Yea" in agreement.

Justin turned to Sarah. "Tis up to the princess. What say thou? Wilt thee honor the victor with a kiss?"

Sarah thought about it over for a minute worried about kissing some stranger, but then wondered what could it hurt?

"I wilt," she agreed.

Cheers arose from the masses and the jousters bowed slightly to show their appreciation of her choice.

Justin and Sarah took a seat and the jousting got underway.

Sarah watched as the horses flew pass each other kicking up dirt in their wake as the riders tried to hit or knock each other off. The jousting here was also more realistic than similar fairs for the jousters actually fought with only a few restrictions such as no head blows. As a result, the men had to sign wavers of responsibility for injury before being allowed to participant in the events.

As she watched, Sarah quickly became aware of who the victor and the securer of her kiss would likely be as she saw the man who had spoke dethroned each of his opponents never even once being so much as glanced with a lance. When he came out, Sarah found it extremely difficult to take her eyes off of him amazed at talent for the event. Compared to the others, Sarah could tell that he was steadfast, direct, and fearless. He would come out charging, aiming directly for the center of his target having no fear of his opponent's lance. With his lance continuing to hit its mark every time, the tournament was soon over and he was indeed the champion.

Justin stood up announcing, "Our champion, Sir Gareth Kingston. Come up here to claim thy prize." Justin gestured to the steps for the man to walk up.

Not moving from where he stood, the man instead asked, "Wilt the princess be at the ball this e'en?"

"I shalt," Sarah informed him while standing up curious about the man's change in topic and lack of advancement.

"Then, to spare her highness from my stench from the joust, I beseech to claim my prize at the ball," Gareth said followed by some disappointed murmurs.

Sarah smiled, "Tis thoughtful of thou. Till this e'en good sir. I wilt be pleased to honor such a noble jouster with a kiss."

The crowd applauded but Sarah could tell that several were disappointed for they would probably not be at the ball that night to see the kiss.

The man slightly bowed his head and left the field.

Justin then escorted Sarah back to the same place she had changed before presenting her with a white dress that was ivory on the bottom skirt portion and pure white lace for the bust area and sleeves with white cords crisscrossing around the front of the waist area. As she came out, Justin presented her with a matching white mask that had gold embellished designs on it, which would cover just around her eyes.

Justin himself had changed into a different costume for the ball while she had, even though Sarah could not have possibly imagined how he had changed that fast since he had not even had his clothes with him earlier.

Soon they arrived at the ballroom and Sarah was seated at a throne upon a raise portion of the room.

A short time later a man approached her wearing a dark sapphire blue top over a flowing white top that fell just slightly over his black pants and boots. He also wore a long, hooded cape with his costume having the hood drawn up and a black mask hiding the upper part of his face.

"My highness, thy dost believe thou owest me a kiss, but before I claim my kiss, I beseech a dance." The man extended his hand to her.

Sarah accepted his hand aware that it must be Gareth the winner of the joust. "Shalt be my honor, good sir."

Gareth led Sarah from her seat out onto the floor where couples were dancing to the music of medieval times. Some couples were still dancing the way traditionally done by those during medieval times while other couples were just waltzing spinning around to the music.

"I don't really know much about the medieval dancing. I have danced around a ballroom plenty of times before though," Gareth told her breaking from the medieval speech and asked, "Do you mind?"

"No, not at all," Sarah consented, "After so long, all this medieval stuff is starting to become a little daunting."

Taking her hand in one hand and placing his other hand on her waist they began dancing.

"Yes, it does with all the toys and costumes," he agreed, "but you will still honor the kiss, will you not?"

"Of course, after all you did win it fair and square."

"Shall we then," Gareth asked her.

Sarah shook her head. "Not yet. After your asking to wait at the tournament, they want to make a spectacle of it."

"Oh," he remarked with some disappointment as he spun her around the floor and then added with a charming smile, "Well, till then. I will be looking forward to it. Actually, having a crowd witness it may make it extra special."

Sarah forced a grin finding the idea just a little uncomfortable now that he mentioned it. "Maybe."

As they danced, Gareth's blue eyes stared straight into her green eyes holding Sarah in a trance. It was like they were reading her soul and Sarah found she could not take her eyes away from them.

Sarah barely noticed when the music ended for Gareth kept dancing with her until they heard the applause for the musicians.

It was then that Gareth took his hand off her waist moving to her side keeping her hand in his. "Shall we?"

Sarah nodded and Gareth led her back where the throne was. When he did Justin was standing there waiting for them.

He greeted them casting a cautious smile at the man as Sarah introduced Gareth to him. "Are you ready to announce the kiss," she asked him not bothering to use any medieval terms.

"If thou art ready," Justin replied, "but dost I remind thee that tis only a part and ye is free to doest what thou truly desires."

Sarah answered for them both, "We are."

Justin leaned close to Sarah's ear whispering where Gareth could not hear him. "You do not have to do this. You do not even know this man. You have at least known gotten to know me and I would like to get to know you better than what I do my dear. Forget this fool and we can leave here together and share our own kiss."

The message from Justin shocked Sarah. She had enjoyed her time with Justin all day and would not mind getting to know him better and he was right about knowing him better than Gareth. However, Sarah had made a promise and felt like she needed to honor it. Besides, she had found Gareth to be a nice and decent person whom she liked as well.

Sarah eyed Justin mouthing the words so Gareth did not hear, "I need to honor my commitment."

Justin nodded and whispered to her, "Well, one final kiss won't hurt." The word final threw Sarah off not sure what exactly Justin meant by it.

Justin then straightened and faced the crowd asking Gareth and Sarah to turn around as well before gathering everyone's attention.

"Gather ye all," he said, "At the tournament this morrow, Princess Sarah vowed a kiss to the victor. The victor has cometh to secure his reward. The princess wilt nowst bestow her kiss as vowed."

The crowd applauded and then fell silent as they waited for Sarah to give Gareth his kiss.

Before Sarah was able to give Gareth his kiss, he questioned her, "I need know before you honor me with your kiss, do you kiss me of your own accord, of your own free will. Otherwise, please do not kiss me."

The odd timing of the question surprised Sarah considering he had asked earlier when they were dancing about the kiss. Sarah shook it off as Gareth being a gentleman.

"I do," she answered leaning close to him placing her lips on his.

The quick lip-touching kiss Sarah had planned for because of the crowd and not really knowing Gareth did not happen. Before she knew it she was in Gareth's arms being held with strong arms close to what she found to be a lean, muscular chest. His mouth was hungrily exploring hers. She could feel the light graze of teeth on her lips as he tasted them. Sarah wanted to pull away and knew she should but found that she couldn't, that she really did not want to. She could feel her heart racing and her blood pounding like she had never before. There was something about this kiss and this man that she could not explain, but she enjoyed the feeling this man's kissing was producing in her.

The kiss seemed like it was never ending, like he had been kissing her forever but at the same time not long enough. Finally, Justin intervened.

"I think you had your kiss and need to release her now," he told Gareth putting a hand on his shoulder trying to get his attention.

Breaking the kiss and his hold on Sarah finally Gareth smiled at her. "My Queen."

"She is not your queen and you will leave now," Justin told him in demanding voice as the crowd just watched the ongoing in silent wonder of what was to happen.

Gareth shot him a glare freezing the man in place. "I think not." He turned back to Sarah. "And besides Sarah Williams is now my queen by all rights."

Sarah gasped, "I never told anyone my last name today. How do you know my name?"

Gareth smirked. "Because I have known you for a long time Sarah." Taking off his mask he threw it on the floor tossing his hood back to reveal a wild mess of white-blond hair.

An expression of disbelief came upon Sarah's face as her mouth dropped open and she meet his gaze to see one of his eyes changing, darkening, revealing the mismatched eyes she remembered far too well.

Seeing Sarah stunned to silence, Jareth smiled smugly at her. "I am really surprised you did not figure it out Sarah. After all, Gareth Kingston and in place of Jareth, Goblin King and the outfit for I wore a sapphire blue top with black pants the last time we danced together."

Sarah did feel foolish for not having seen it coming but she had thought that after leaving the labyrinth and the Underground that she would never have to deal with the Goblin King again. She even remember thinking about how unusually tight his pants and boots were for a medieval outfit and the oddness that he was wearing a cape, which she now realized was to cover his hair.

After what seemed like an eternity to Sarah she finally managed to muttered, "No, no, it cannot be. I defeated you. You have no power over me. Leave me be."

Jareth clicked his tongue against his teeth. "That just meant I could not bring you back to the Underground without your consent. That never meant I could not come to you. And now you willingly gave your kiss to me, Sarah."

"And what does that mean," she asked through gritted teeth, "What does a single kiss have to do with anything?"

He just looked at her with a haughty expression. "Oh that is right! That is not in the book!" He brought his face down, his nose just inches from hers where she could feel his hot breath as he told her, "By willingly giving me, the Goblin King, your kiss, you have pledged yourself to me to be my wife, my queen."

Backing away some shaking her whole body from head to toe, he added, "What a pity for you Sarah. If only you had known and if you could have realized who I was before, maybe you could have saved yourself, but now you are my wife forever more unless I ever choose to release you from your commitment, which I will never do."

The room was spinning around Sarah. She knew Jareth had her and there was no escape. She had fallen prey to his trap. She remembered the joust and it hit her like a ton of bricks. Being the princess, the damaged trophy, the asking for the kiss, he had already planned it all.

He walked around to her side putting an arm around her waist. "Let us go home my dear wife for I do not know about you, but I am eager to consummate our marriage. The kiss was just a sample of the pleasure I plan to give and take from you. I believe you will find being my wife desirable both inside and outside the bedroom. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time."

She shivered part in fear and part in nervous anticipation at the aspect of being Jareth's wife as Jareth whisked her away leaving everyone wondering just who exactly that man was and what had happened.


End file.
